TOPIC: Whitewebbs Museum of Transport

Discussing our train service in the forum just now, I referred to a report on the Ian's Visits website. Ian's website and weekly newsletter pick out the most interesting events on in London, but also include some news items (remind you of any other websites?). This week he reminds us that on Sunday 26th May the Whitewebbs Museum of Transport has its monthly weekend opening (it's also open every Tuesday).

As Ian points out, from looking at the museum's own website, you'd probably decide not to bother. But actually, it's a fascinating place, even if, like me, you're not terribly bothered about cars and motorbikes. It's in a former pumping station on a disused loop of the New River. To quote from
Ian's review of the museum
:

At the most northernmost outpost of Greater London, in middle of farmland, can be found a most curious museum.

A cluster of historical artifacts from the history of transport, scattered amongst the largest pile of seemingly junk you will ever see. From old dinky toys, to big fire engines, to model railways to London Underground signs, this museum has it all.

A most curious collection of transport ephemera.

If you judge a museum by its website, which is not an entirely unreasonable thing to do, then you might not expect too much, maybe a few objects in a brick building, but in fact, this oddest of odd museums is vast, in scale and collection.

[...]

You can approach this museum either as a hardened transport nerd out to admire specific cars and bikes, or as a potted collection where the whole is worth more than the individual objects.

I soaked up the atmosphere, the smells, the grease and oil, the old and quirky, the cup of tea in an old cafe, the sheer eclecticism of the displays.

It’s quite simply delightful, in an old man in the potting shed sort of delight.

I've taken the liberty of using a couple of Ian's photographs, since they're much better than those the museum itself uses, though you'd need dozens of photographs to get a complete feel of the place.

If you haven't been there, do go - and go early, there's so much to see!